Year A
Daniel 7:9-10. 13-14
Psalm 97: 1-2. 5-6.9 (R. cf. 1a. 9a)
2 Peter 1: 16-19
Matthew 17: 1b-9
Listen to Him
There is this famous Akan myth concerning how God moved away from us. According to this myth, God and his cloud was very close to us. If we are to evaluate the closeness of God according to this myth, we may say God's cloud will be at the level of every roofing sheets on every building; not story buildings or skyscrapers. The command was not to pound fufu, because when they pound fufu, the pestle for pounding the fufu will be hitting God in his cloud. But a woman disobeyed and after her actions, her pestle drived God and his cloud far from us.
The point of the Story is, God was close to us but our disobedience sent him away from us. But there is something interesting about this story, this is about the cloud. This draws our attention to the popular "Shekinah" glory of God in Scriptures. Shekinah means "dwelling," or "one who dwells," hence the Shekinah glory of God refers to the personal presence of God.
The term is used by Rabbis in reference to the Lord's presence in the cloud (Exodus 14:19; Exodus 34:5; 40:34-38; Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 11:25; 14:14; 16:42, 1 Kings 8:10–13), among his people (Exodus 19:16-18; 25:8; 40:34-38; 1 Kings 6:13), his dwelling in the mountain ( Psalm 68:16-18; 74:2; Isaiah 8:18; Joel 3:17), the glory of God filling the temple (2 Chronicles 7:1). In short, it is any visible manifestation of God's presence severally alluded to in the Bible.
Since the point is that the "Shekinah" is about God's visible manifestation, any time the language of the cloud of God is heard, there is a theophany. But God did not limit himself to one type of appearance in the Old Testament. He appeared in a burning bush to Moses, as a pillar of cloud by day, and as a pillar of fire by night to direct the Israelites. God also appeared as a "whisper" to Elijah, in a dream to King Solomon and in visions to other prophets. Therefore any manifestation of God does not show us the form of God, but shows us the transcending power of God, which also stresses that God is also immanent, hence he is everywhere.
He is with me, he is with you, he is with us. But we realize this when we are in a relationship with him and we enter his presence through prayer. The parallel passage of today's gospel is in Luke 9:28ff, and Luke point out what Jesus was doing before he was transfigured. He was praying. The Greek word used here for Prayer is "proseuchomai". The word proseuche is a compound of the two words 'pros' and 'euche'.
Pros is a preposition that means toward, and denote a sense of closeness. So in John 1:1 where we have "... the Word was with God..." The word 'pros' is used for "with," which shows the intimate relationship existing between the Godhead; the Father and the Son. The word euche means prayer, or vow, and It can be used to describe a wish or desire. Thus any form of Prayer; vocal, meditative or contemplative. The Transfiguration shows us the importance of prayer, it transforms us to be worthy of God's presence. So the injunction to pray without ceasing points to how our lives must always be in conformity with God, and live always as if in his presence.
The Transfiguration gives us a unique and completely different theophany, this time God had already taken flesh and was among humans, Jesus Christ who was possessing the nature of God fully was also possessing the nature of man fully. However, for us to see God, he must reveal himself to us. So he revealed to his disciples Peter, James and John his majestic glory, which Peter testifies in his second letter chapter 1 verses 16 to 19, today's second reading.
The two people who appeared; Moses through whom the Law was given represent the Law and Elijah who was jealous and zealous for the glory of God represent the Prophets. They were talking with him, who is the Lord of the Law and the Prophets and hence came to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17"Do not imagine I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them.
This also shows that Jesus is our Just Judge, he has the power of life and death. Moses experienced death (cf. Deuteronomy 34:5) while Elijah was taken up to heaven in the whirlwind (cf. 2 Kings 2:11). Evidently, the idea of death Humbles us and the idea of life give us hope to be zealous and live for the glory of God. Thus to be able to ascent the mountain and see his glory, we must be zealous for his glory sake like Elijah and meek or humble as Moses.
There is a lot going on here, we see Jesus Christ truly as more than the sign that is both in the depths of Shoel or in the heights above (cf. Isaiah 7:11), because Moses who experienced death would have to arise from Sheol to be on the mountain, and Elijah would have to descend from the heaven where he was taken up to, to appear on the mountain. This two who eagerly wanted to see God on earth on the same Mount Sinai or Horeb, now bear witness to the God who no one has ever seen but the only Son, has made him known (John 1:18), on Mount Tabor.
Mount Sinai is the same as Mount Horeb. The Hebrew word Sinai means "thorn". The bush that Moses saw burning in Exodus 3:2 is from the word seneh, from the same root as Sinai. Thus the bush was not just a burning bush, but a burning thorn bush. Horeb also means "to lay waste", "be dried up" as well as "to fight". So they are synonymous because Horeb as a dry wasteland land is often filled with thorn bushes.
Interestingly, the "flaming sword" that God placed at the entrance of the Garden of Eden is from the same root word as Horeb(fight/make wasre) also called Sinai(thorn/sharp). The burning thorn Bush picturing the flaming sword at the entrance of the Garden of Eden, gives us a deeper insight into today's feast.
He who came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets is doing exactly that, as Mount Tabor means purifying, clarifying or explaining. As the Word of God he is the double edged sword (cf. Hebrews 4:12) . As God he is a consuming fire (cf. Hebrews 12: 29). He is the entrance to and the Kingdom of God, because according today's first reading, the Kingdom has been conferred upon him.Revelation 1:16 In his right hand he was holding seven stars, out of his mouth came a sharp sword, double-edged, and his face was like the sun shining with all its force.
We all want to see God in our life situations, but we forget that nothing can separate us from the Love of God. Sufferings or death cannot. God is not far from us, so when Peter said if Jesus wants they should make three shelters or tabernacles there, God's cloud engulfed them, and the Father voiced out that we listen to his beloved Son.
Since Jesus said to the Pharisees and Scribes that the sign of Jonah will be given them (cf. Matthew 16:4), and after Peter's profession of faith in Jesus as the Son of God, Jesus told the disciples about his suffering that is destined for him in Jerusalem, Peter wanting to continue his stance on making Jesus the messiah he and most of us prefer, the one who does not suffer(cf. Matthew 16:21ff), wanted him to stay on the mountain forever, and by extension the Law and the Prophets too.
Should God hide from us in the Mountains? Actually is us who hide from God, afraid of his glory like Adam and Eve when they sinned, we hide from his face.
O how we detest suffering and cherish happiness, in our happy moments we forget how others are suffering and how we can help let them feel the presence of God in their lives. Jesus Christ is the light of the world, he is not for a few, but for us all. God calls us through his Son through whom he called everything into existence. In joy and in suffering, in a state of life and the state of death, listen to him.
One thing most Theophanies shows us is that, God makes his will known to us.Today he asks us to Listen to his beloved Son.
Listen to him, Listen to him, Listen to him. He is the Word of God, He is the Son of God,Listen to him, Listen to him, Listen to him. He is the Son of Man, He is the Last Adam,who imprinted his image of the First Adam. Listen to him, have intimate relationship with God.If you are in the height above like Elijah, listen to him, and descend to help those who need your help.If you are at Shoel like Moses, listen to him,have hope, he will raise you up.Listen to him, and you will see the face of God, his glory.Listen to him as he calls you to transformation.
By Sylvester Amakye-Quayson
The term is used by Rabbis in reference to the Lord's presence in the cloud (Exodus 14:19; Exodus 34:5; 40:34-38; Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 11:25; 14:14; 16:42, 1 Kings 8:10–13), among his people (Exodus 19:16-18; 25:8; 40:34-38; 1 Kings 6:13), his dwelling in the mountain ( Psalm 68:16-18; 74:2; Isaiah 8:18; Joel 3:17), the glory of God filling the temple (2 Chronicles 7:1). In short, it is any visible manifestation of God's presence severally alluded to in the Bible.
Since the point is that the "Shekinah" is about God's visible manifestation, any time the language of the cloud of God is heard, there is a theophany. But God did not limit himself to one type of appearance in the Old Testament. He appeared in a burning bush to Moses, as a pillar of cloud by day, and as a pillar of fire by night to direct the Israelites. God also appeared as a "whisper" to Elijah, in a dream to King Solomon and in visions to other prophets. Therefore any manifestation of God does not show us the form of God, but shows us the transcending power of God, which also stresses that God is also immanent, hence he is everywhere.
Matthew 5:17
"Do not imagine I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them.
Mount Sinai is the same as Mount Horeb. The Hebrew word Sinai means "thorn". The bush that Moses saw burning in Exodus 3:2 is from the word seneh, from the same root as Sinai. Thus the bush was not just a burning bush, but a burning thorn bush. Horeb also means "to lay waste", "be dried up" as well as "to fight". So they are synonymous because Horeb as a dry wasteland land is often filled with thorn bushes.
Interestingly, the "flaming sword" that God placed at the entrance of the Garden of Eden is from the same root word as Horeb(fight/make wasre) also called Sinai(thorn/sharp). The burning thorn Bush picturing the flaming sword at the entrance of the Garden of Eden, gives us a deeper insight into today's feast.
He who came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets is doing exactly that, as Mount Tabor means purifying, clarifying or explaining. As the Word of God he is the double edged sword (cf. Hebrews 4:12) . As God he is a consuming fire (cf. Hebrews 12: 29). He is the entrance to and the Kingdom of God, because according today's first reading, the Kingdom has been conferred upon him.
Revelation 1:16In his right hand he was holding seven stars, out of his mouth came a sharp sword, double-edged, and his face was like the sun shining with all its force.
By Sylvester Amakye-Quayson
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